


Unexpected Encounter

by LostForeverInHisEyes



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: AU, Attraction, Co-workers, F/M, Friendship, Interesting first meeting, Sexual Tension, Team Bonding, Unexpected feelings, Vodka, challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 11:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18233978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostForeverInHisEyes/pseuds/LostForeverInHisEyes
Summary: Callen and Kensi's first ever meeting when Callen's covert surveillance gets well and truly compromised.Vodka, dancing, unexpected encounters with just a hint (or more) of sexual tension!Callen/Kensi - Friendship/Team Bonding/Romance at least potential -Two-shot - AU. Response to a challenge (details inside)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is one of my favourite non-oc stories that I've had on FF for a long time and thought I'd shift it over here. It was in response to the following challenge criteria:  
> Kensi/Callen  
> Their first meeting ever  
> At least 3000 words  
> Needs to have mentions of :  
> \- Sexual Tension between the two  
> \- vodka  
> Needs to contain the following expression:  
> \- "Doesn't expecting the unexpected makes the unexpected expected?"
> 
> There's two chapters - one from Callen's POV and the second from Kensi's. Hope you enjoy. Second chapter will be up sometime tomorrow.
> 
> Disclaimer - Don't own anyone you recognise from the show. Many thanks to those who do and for allowing us the fun of playing in their world with their amazing characters.

* * *

_ **Callen's POV** _

 

Callen had been watching her for the last week. Actually, he and Sam had been watching her for the week, though he was pretty sure his version of watching and Sam's version were very different. Considering Sam was married, Callen was quite sure that the thoughts he'd been entertaining about one Junior Special Agent to be, Kensi Blye, were entirely different to those going through Sam's mind.

Hetty had included pictures in the files when they'd had to choose their new team mate. He'd seen the photo - Tall, pretty, competent looking young woman whose experience cross all the t's and dotted all the i's. She was definitely the kind of agent they needed. Nothing in particular had stood out from the photo and Callen hadn't thought any more about it. Then a week ago, Hetty told them they were going to personally take care of the final week of surveillance of her. It was standard; make sure no one was following her before she officially started with OSP. It was the week Nate pulled them off duty anyway, due to psych evaluations, so it was definitely a step up from being chained to a desk and the paperwork that would come with it.

Except the photo in her file hadn't done her justice. It certainly hadn't given Callen a clue about how he would react to her when he saw her in the flesh, so to speak anyway. The first time had been when she came out of the gym, still in her form fitting gym clothes which, whilst covering her properly, left the contours of her body visible and his body had reacted to a picture his mind had unexpectedly made up and flashed before his eyes of what was underneath. He'd shifted uncomfortably in the car and was glad Sam hadn't been with him at the time, having been ordered to Nate's office that first morning.

Any hope Callen had that it was just an initial reaction - one caused by shock at seeing her dressed like that, combined with the beauty that he hadn't been expecting - was dashed when she came out of her apartment later that day. She was dressed in a simple white sundress that swished around her legs. His reaction to her could make it difficult for them work together. And there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Because he was sure Hetty would just look at him with one of those looks that said something along the lines of, 'Mr Callen, you are a Special Agent, and an adult. Surely you can handle your physical attraction for a co-worker. Don't you have a rule about not dating cops?'

Yes, he had a rule. Yes, he should be able to handle the attraction for a co-worker. He'd switched it off before, more than once. Yes, it shouldn't be that hard. Especially considering he was so much older than her. She was twenty six and he was thirty nine. He was much too old for her. Wasn't he?

Callen shook off that thought. The final check before Kensi Blye officially started working for OSP was almost complete. This was the last night he'd be watching. He'd watched her leave her apartment. She looked like she was ready to party wearing the tight fitting black jeans, purple spaghetti-strap ruffled top, dangly earrings with most of her hair piled on top of her head. She was gorgeous and his body still had a mind of its own when it came to reacting to her. Actually that wasn't quite right; his mind and body were always in sync, he was just having trouble getting into the right frame of mind to ignore his attraction to her.

Callen followed her to a club and made his way inside, keeping to the shadows as he watched her have drink and then dance with a guy. His stomach clenched at the way she was dancing with him. He wasn’t someone she knew, at least he was pretty sure of that, but it looked like so much more with how close they were dancing. He pushed away the thoughts that he wished it was him and made his way to get a drink. He found a seat at the end of the bar, in a fairly secluded spot and sat there. For two hours. He nursed two drinks whilst he carefully observed her, rejecting about four offers to dance. None of them could hold a candle to the woman he was her to watch.

In one of those observation moments, Kensi looked at him from the dance floor and smiled. He watched as she expertly extricated herself from her current dance partner, number five if his count was correct, and made her way over to him.

She glanced sideways at him as she leaned against the bar and asked, "Is it any good?"

Callen frowned at not only the question but the smile that was twitching at her lips. "Is what any good?" He'd heard the mischief in her voice, but he really had no idea what she was asking him about.

"My butt."

Callen almost spat out the mouthful of his drink he had just taken.

"Excuse me?" He could see the smile in her eyes that joined the one on her lips; could see she was seriously enjoying the fact the he felt decidedly uncomfortable.

"You've spent the last two hours checking it out. Figured you must have finished your inspection by now."

Callen just looked at her in shock. So much for not being obvious.

"Wasn't checking out your butt," he managed to deny. No, he had definitely had been checking out more than that.

Kensi grinned and shook her head in disbelief before she hopped up onto the bar, spun herself around and slid down onto the other side.

"Don't think you're supposed to be over there," Callen advised. She lifted an eyebrow at him and continued to smile as she turned away from him.

He watched her reach up for a bottle, her shirt lifting up, exposing an expanse of skin between the bottom of it and the top of her jeans. His fingers itched to see it felt like. Kensi pulled the bottle down and turned back around.

"I'll think I'll be fine," she said with a wink, as one of the bartenders walked up to her with a smile. Kensi turned to him and gave him a dazzling smile as she reached into her bra, pulled out a twenty and gave it to him.

Callen shook his head and tore his gaze away from her. This was bad; jealous of a piece of paper.

Kensi asked the bartender, "Help me back over?"

He put his hands on her hips and effortlessly lifted her up and placed her back on the bar, as if he'd done it many times before. Kensi then leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on his lips and Callen felt that jealousy surge again. He really was going to have to get a grip if he was going to work with her, and he wanted to. They knew from her records that she would make a great agent and a fantastic addition to their team. They wouldn't have chosen her if they hadn't thought that. Though Callen did have to wonder if he'd actually met her in person, before they had decided, whether or not the way he felt might have caused him to want to choose someone else.

_ What? So we'd miss out on a great girl, just so you could ask her out on a date? _

"Thanks," Kensi said to the bartender, her voice helping him to focus back on her rather than Sam's voice inside his head. Then she spun around slowly and stayed sitting on the bar; one leg on either side of him.

Callen ran his gaze up her body slowly until his eyes clashed with her warm mismatched brown ones. He knew about the birthmark in her eye. He'd seen it in the photos. But again the photos didn't do her justice. Whether it was the birthmark that made them intriguing or just simply the deep chocolate colour that pulled him in, he wasn't sure. But there was something in her eyes that he couldn't look away from.

Perhaps the mischief, perhaps the knowing look, like she knew what he was thinking. He really hoped not.

"So," Kensi said, leaning forward slightly to look him clearly in the eyes which he had to consciously focus on pulling from where her shirt had gaped a little as she continued, "since you've been ogling me for the last two hours, least you can do is have a drink and dance with me."

She straightened up, opened the bottle of Vodka and took a mouthful, then handed it to him. When he didn't take it from her, Kensi raised her eyebrows.

"What? Don't like it?" she asked him.

It was almost like she was challenging him. Nobody could say that G Callen wasn't a man up to a challenge. So he took the bottle out of her hands, trying not to think too much about the intimacy of sharing the bottle with her. His eyes never left hers as he took at drink. It was impossible not to think about the fact that her lips had just been in exactly the same place as his, since he could taste a slight something that wasn't Vodka. Something that was definitely better tasting. He handed it back and she smiled in satisfaction.

"Better," Kensi said as put her other hand on his shoulder. "Help a girl down?"

Callen stood up, slid his hands slowly up her legs until they reached her waist and then pulled her off the bar. He held her close as she slid down his body until her feet touched the floor. He watched the flush come over her cheeks and her nervous swallow before she stepped away.

Kensi smiled that same dazzling smile she'd given the bartender and took his hand, pulling him through the crowd and onto the dance floor. She took another sip and handed him back the bottle before she put her arms around his neck and started to move to the music.

Twenty minutes, four dances and ¾ of the bottle of vodka later, they stopped and she looked at him.

"How come you look completely sober?" she asked, her speech slightly slurred.

"Perhaps you've drunk more than me," he replied. He continued to hold her close as she lifted the bottle to see how much was left. Given how much he had noticed she had drunk so far tonight, he was sure there was a very good chance she wouldn't remember any of this by Monday. Which was good, because Hetty would come close to killing him if she found out that his supposedly 'covert' surveillance had become slightly more than compromised.

Kensi started to pull away, but there was a part of Callen that wasn't ready to let her go. She gave him a smile of encouragement and tilted her head, indicating she wanted him to come with her. Callen followed her and they made their way to a quiet corner.

"You know any other guy who'd drunk as much as you would be wasted by now," Kensi said, eyeing him off suspiciously.

"Can handle my alcohol."

Kensi grinned at that and a twinkle appeared in her eyes. "Hmm, but can you handle your women?" Someone bumped into her at that moment, sending her tumbling against him. Callen caught her and held her up whilst she found her feet.

"That was unexpected," Kensi said under her breath, as she looked up at him. Their bodies were flush against one another. She was tall, almost matched his height and he found himself in a battle; his eyes locked with hers.

"What was unexpected?" Callen asked.

Kensi shook her head and broke their eye contact. Callen watched her take a deep breath before she looked back at him and he noticed the mask that she'd managed to pull up over her eyes. She was definitely hiding something from him.

Kensi grinned as she moved her hips slightly. Callen raised his eyebrows and one side of his mouth tilted in a lopsided grin, as he narrowly held back a groan at the feel of her moving so intimately against him.

"You didn't expect a reaction? You're a very sexy woman, why wouldn't I react to you being this close?" he asked.

"From any other guy yeah. But from you... unexpected."

"From me?" Callen frowned. That was a strange response from her.

Her looked turned puzzled and her words completely distracted him from what he was trying to find out.

"Does expecting the unexpected, make the unexpected expected?" Her head tilted as she considered her monologue, because Callen was quite sure she wasn't expecting him to answer. "Should I have expected that because I was expecting the unexpected? And does that mean that I should have expected you because I wasn't expecting anything and -"

Callen kissed her soundly, tasting the vodka mixed with something else that was familiar. Her. He was pretty sure she was more potent than the vodka, more addictive too. And she kissed him back, which just made things so much more complicated.

Callen didn't know where his head had been when he'd decided to kiss her. On vacation perhaps, because it wasn't the brightest idea he'd ever had. Best idea perhaps, but not the brightest. When he pulled back Kensi blinked those big brown eyes of hers at him in confusion.

Callen smiled to himself at the desire he saw in her eyes, at the flush on her cheeks; pleased he wasn't the only one who felt the attraction. Though what that meant come Monday when they had to work together, he didn't know.

Kensi shook her head as if trying to bring herself out of a daze. "What?" she asked.

"You were rambling. Had to stop you."

Kensi stepped away slightly from him and handed him the almost empty bottle.

"I need to go," she said and started to turn away.

"Not going to give me your number?" he asked.

Kensi turned back and there was a wicked gleam in her eye as she smiled. She stepped close to him again, her mouth going close to his ear. He smiled as she did, expecting her to tell him her number, then he figured he could probably steal another kiss. After all, things were already complicated and he might as well make the most of it before he couldn't do this anymore. The smile dropped from his face at what she said.

"Why? You already have it ... Agent Callen." Then Kensi turned and walked quickly through the crowd, completely steady with not a sign of a drunken sway at all. By the time Callen could move again, she was gone.

So much for her being too drunk to remember tonight.

Callen smiled.

This was going to make Monday interesting at least.

* * *

Callen walked into the bullpen Monday morning to find it empty. He'd just placed his jacket on his chair when his phone rang.

"Callen," he answered absently.

"Upstairs if you please, Mr Callen. You are late."

Hetty hung up before he could say anything and he pocketed his phone and made his way upstairs.

Yes, he was late, and it had everything to do with one Kensi Blye invading what little sleep he'd managed to get. She was the reason why he had been up since 3am attempting to learn how to dismantle and rebuild a motorbike. Anything to get his mind off her and get him in a place that meant he could work with her. Which was why he was late. Because somewhere during that learning process, he'd managed to get a handle on things and he hadn't wanted to stop until he was sure that he could put the attraction he felt for her where it belonged. Tucked away in a box, on a shelf in his mind labelled 'Not to be opened' written clearly on it.

Callen walked into the OPS centre and looked at Hetty in apology.

"Sorry Hetty," he said, not defining his reason for being late.

Hetty just nodded her head in acknowledgement, which made him more nervous than anything else. Usually he would have been in for some reprimand or something but she just turned her attention to the others in the room. So did he.

And damn if that box didn't try and jump off the shelf and break open. Because one Junior Special Agent Kensi Blye was in the house.

"Miss Blye. Mr Callen. Though given that you have already met, I am just taking care of the official introduction."

Callen's eyes flew to Hetty, though not so quickly that he didn't pick up the grin on Kensi's face – a knowing grin.

"Yes Mr Callen, I know about the other night. And might I advise you to brush up on your surveillance skills. Perhaps Miss Blye could show you a few tricks."

"How... Never mind." Callen really didn't want to know how Hetty knew, though he had his suspicions that Kensi may have had something to do with that.

Hetty stepped back. "Now, I shall leave you all to get to know one another. In a professional capacity that is," Hetty added with a brief glance at Callen before she left the room.

"G?" Sam asked curious.

"Nothing Sam. Just … doesn't matter."

Sam raised his eyebrows and looked at Kensi.

"Kensi?"

Kensi grinned. "We've meet."

"Gathered that. When?" Sam asked her.

"Saturday night."

Callen shook his head at her giving in so easily to Sam's questioning. She just smirked at him.

"You mean when you were supposed to be watching her?" Sam asked.

Callen rolled his eyes at his partner. "I was watching."

Kensi giggled. "Closely."

Callen shook his head again and smiled. "Shall we show you to your desk?" he asked her formally, pushing the conversation in a different direction.

Kensi started to walk toward him. "Sure, but don't think this over. I'm going to get so much mileage out of that night."

Callen stepped up beside her and slid his arm around her shoulders. She looked over at him as they walked.

"You know I was just playing along. Couldn't let you know who I was."

Maybe he could spin it that way, after all, that was what they did for a living.

Kensi grinned. "Playing along? They did say you were good, but I didn't think they meant  _ that _ good." Kensi's eyes drifted down his body briefly before returning to his face and he knew exactly what she meant by  _ that. _

Callen ignored the temptation to bite back at her, given her reactions felt exceptionally real to him too.

"So we're good?" he asked instead. He really did like her and the idea of working with her. He wouldn't want his actions of the other night to mess it up.

"Well, you did stare at my butt for two hours but," Kensi shrugged, "you did make up for it by dancing with me. Guess we're good."

"He never dances with me," Sam complained in that fake whiny voice.

"You're not as pretty, Sam. You also can't move like she can."

Callen's arm slipped of her shoulders as they arrived at the top of the stairs and he let her go down first.

A few steps down Kensi stopped and turned around.

"Oh and Callen… the rant. Interesting way to stop it. Though, next time, if you want that is," she paused and grinned, "just ask."

Callen stopped, slightly stunned at what he thought she might have just suggested. Kensi turned and continued down the stairs and joined Hetty at her desk.

"Do I want to know?" Sam asked.

Callen just shook his head, his eyes still on Kensi.

"So, you think she's gonna match well with us?" Sam asked.

Callen looked at Sam and nodded.

"I think she'll match up perfectly."

Unfortunately that box in his mind was now trying even harder to shuffle off the shelf after Kensi's comment about stopping her rant. And his comment to Sam hadn't just been referring to her fitting perfectly with the team.

Day to day life at the office sure was going to be a little more interesting from now on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kensi's POV.
> 
> Thanks for reading.

* * *

**_Kensi's POV_ **

.

She knew he was watching her, had known for a week. It wasn't that he had been obvious about it, at least not until tonight. She'd felt his eyes on her though; every time. Even if she hadn't always been able to place where he was watching her from.

The first time was walking out of the gym. She'd felt that shiver up her spine that she always got – her early warning system. She had to admit that it made her nervous, especially now she was about to start a new job. An undercover 'we don't exist' job. Basically, her dream job and now someone was watching her and she really didn't like it. As she'd walked away from the gym, she'd gathered her phone and her sunglasses from her bag. As her arm fell to her side, she discreetly turned the phone around so she could snap some shots in the direction she could still feel the eyes boring into her from. Another shiver went up her spine, a slightly different awareness to the previous one. Almost like someone's gaze was raking over her entire body, not just watching her. She'd slipped her sunglasses on and then held her phone up to her ear as she pretend to talk whilst she saved the pictures to look at later.

It wasn't the last time that she felt that different awareness during the following week. Though it was mingled with the normal awareness of someone just watching her.

After two days though, she'd gotten a little concerned and called her new boss. A petite little woman who had the potential to scare the life out of her, and probably anyone else for that matter. Hetty. For some reason the name suited her. And for some reason, even though she was tiny, she made Kensi feel safe and protected. She emailed Hetty the photos from her phone. They'd been a little blurry and she hadn't been able to make out the face clearly, but she did manage to get enough to be able to figure out that the man from the gym had been watching her now for a couple of days, along with another.

Hetty cleaned up the photos and sent them back to her, before calling her and explaining. Yes, she was being watched, but it was by them. Just to make sure no one else was watching her. It was routine, except that the agents watching her weren't supposed to get caught in the act. Hetty had praised her observational skills and assured her that, as long as they were the only two who she felt were following her, she was safe.

She knew he was watching again when she'd walked out of her apartment earlier in the evening. Knew he'd followed her.

She smiled to herself as she danced. There were plenty of people on the dance floor which meant that they were dancing close together. The one she was with was attractive in an 'I'll dance with you but please don't ask to take me home' way. She kept her eye on the blue eyed agent who was watching her, using the dance as a way to look in his direction without him noticing – she hoped anyway. She saw him looking at her a couple of times with a scowl on his face and a flare of interest in his eyes. She couldn't see a whole lot of him but she felt the interest flare in her, simply from those eyes. The ones that had been boring into her back for most of the week; the ones that had caused the awareness that someone was watching  _ all  _ of her, not just her in general.

She knew enough about him from Hetty. He was going to be her immediate superior. Special Agent in Charge G Callen. Though Hetty hadn't explained the single letter name. She knew that he was one of the best. She glanced over at him again and saw him turn down a girl who had come up to him, his eyes flicking to her again, the interest still there. She grinned to herself and turned up the heat of the dance. If he was going to watch, she might as well put on a good show.

Eventually she decided to put Callen out of his misery and waited for him to look over at her again. She caught his eye and smiled, left the guy she'd been dancing with standing in the middle of the floor staring after her as she sauntered over to stand by him. Though not quite close enough that they touched.

She looked sideways at him and her heart started to race. Just a glance from this close distance at those eyes and she knew she was in trouble. She had a thing for eyes.

"Is it any good?" she asked, keeping her tone light as she leaned against the bar.

Callen frowned and a smile twitched at her lips. "Is what any good?" he asked.

She narrowly avoided rolling her eyes and waited, just a brief moment whilst he took a drink, before she answered.

"My butt."

She smiled when his eyes went wide and he almost spat out his drink.

"Excuse me?"

She loved it when she had perfect timing on a comment. It made conversations so much more entertaining, not to mention throwing her companion for a loop. He looked so uncomfortable and, considering what she knew about what he does for a living, she found that quite funny. She only just restrained herself from laughing outright at his expression.

"You've spent the last two hours checking it out. Figured you must have finished your inspection by now."

Callen looked at her, shock on his face. She was impressed that he managed to pull himself together enough to deny it, even if she didn't believe the words that came out of his mouth. A very interesting looking mouth that made hers go just a little bit dry at the thought of what it could do with hers.

"Wasn't checking out your butt."

Her smile widened into a grin and she shook her head, conveying to him, she hoped anyway, that she didn't believe him. She placed her hands on the bar, easily lifted herself up and spun around to the other side, sliding off gracefully onto her feet.

"Don't think you're supposed to be over there," Callen advised.

She lifted an eyebrow and continued to smile as she turned away from him. Her gaze ran quickly over the shelf and found the bottle she was looking for; a blue, fancy, vodka bottle that she had been eyeing off for a few weeks now. It was $50 for the bottle, more than she had, but she'd pay the rest later. Tony would understand. It was definitely going to be worth the money. She reached up for it and smiled as she watched Callen in the mirror; saw his eyes drop to her waist and felt the heat from them sear her where her shirt had ridden up.

"I'll think I'll be fine," she said with a wink when she turned back around to face him. One of the bartenders walked up to her with a smile. Just the man she was hoping for. Tony. She'd known him for ages, went to school with him and knew he'd pick up on what was behind the smile she was about to give him. He'd played along for her more than once when some guy was annoying her. She gave Tony a dazzling smile, one she knew he knew she saved for serious flirting as she reached into her bra, pulled out a twenty and gave it to him.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Callen look away quickly and down to his drink.

"Help me back over?" she asked Tony.

Tony put his hands on her hips and effortlessly lifted her up and placed her back on the bar. She then leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on his lips, mouthing the words 'I'm fine' to him just before she did. She'd noticed the concerned look and the question in his eyes; had felt the slight pressure from his hands that indicated he wasn't going to let her go until he knew she was in control.

"Thanks," she said to Tony before she spun around slowly and carefully so she could put her legs on either side of Callen without kicking him in the head. Her plan wouldn't go down well if she injured him.

Unexpectedly, her blood started to heat as Callen slowly ran his eyes up her body until they met hers.

She found she couldn't look away. The blue of them just sucked her right in. There was something else in them too, something hidden. A passion? A need? … A loneliness? She wasn't quite sure what but she felt an overwhelming urge to satisfy whatever it was. She felt herself leaning closer, her tongue just about to moisten her lips but she managed to stop herself and pull her mind from that to what she had planned. An encounter that would hopefully give her enough ammunition to stop the rookie tricks that she was sure to get on joining a new, all male team. She'd been there before and was hoping to avoid it.

"So," she said, leaning forward just a little more as she spoke, hoping to cover for the fact that she had been unconsciously drifting closer to him, "since you've been ogling me for the last two hours, least you can do is have a drink and dance with me."

She straightened up, opened the bottle of Vodka and took a mouthful, then handed it to him. The warmth of the alcohol hit her stomach and she felt herself relax just a little. Worth every cent of the fifty. When he didn't take it from her, she raised her eyebrows.

"What? Don't like it?" she asked him.

Their eyes locked again and she waited. She saw something in his eyes but couldn't place it. Then he was taking the bottle out of her hand, keeping his eyes on hers as he drank. The swallow he took, she was sure had a touch of nervousness to it. She smiled in satisfaction that she could not only make him nervous, but that she'd been able to spot it. Pity he was making her nervous too.

She took the bottle back from him. "Better," she remarked. She put her free hand on his shoulder and almost jumped at the spark she felt leap between them before she'd even touched him. "Help a girl down?" she asked. Suddenly she wasn't so sure of her plan anymore. This wasn't supposed to be the way things went. Maybe it was just static.

Callen stood up, slid his hands slowly up her legs until they reached her waist; the spark, heat and a tingling sensation following his hands. Extremely lingering static? She slid off the bar and into his arms and he slowly lowered her until her feet touched the floor. She swallowed nervously as his fingers brushed against her skin just above her jeans and stepped away quickly; hoping the distance and the dim light would help hide the flush on her cheeks.

She smiled that same dazzling smile she'd given Tony and took his hand, pulling him through the crowd and onto the dance floor. She took another sip and handed him back the bottle before she put her arms around his neck and started to move to the music.

Twenty minutes, four dances and three quarters of the bottle of vodka later, they stopped and she looked at him. His eyes were clear and it didn't even look like he'd had one drink let alone the two she knew he had at the bar along with the vodka they'd been sharing. Again, not what she had planned. Time for plan B, whatever that ended up being.

"How come you look completely sober?" she asked, deliberately slurring her speech. At least if he thought she was drunk that would give her the option of pretending she'd never met him on Monday.

"Perhaps you've drunk more than me," he replied. He kept her close and she lifted the bottle, just to check. Almost empty.

Oh crap. He was supposed to drink more than her. She thought carefully back and realised that she'd been distracted by the feel of dancing with him and instead of tagging the drinks she was pretty sure she'd taken two drinks to his one. Not good. Any more and she would cross that very fine line between sober enough to remember and drunk enough not to.

She started to pull away, but Callen's hold didn't loosen. She gave him a smile of encouragement and tilted her head.

Step One – Get him off the dance floor.

Callen followed her as she made her way to a quiet corner. She turned and faced him, eyeing him suspiciously.

Step Two – Somehow turn the tables back on him. How? Don't know yet.

"You know any other guy who'd drunk as much as you would be wasted by now," she remarked thoughtfully.

"Can handle my alcohol."

She grinned at that and a twinkle appeared in her eyes.

Option for Step Two – He'd checked her out; she might as well do the same.

"Hmm, but can you handle your women?" Someone bumped into her at that moment, before she had the chance to run her gaze over his body, sending her tumbling against him. Callen caught her and held her up whilst she found her feet. Okay, so this wasn't quite the way she'd wanted to check him out. Extremely effective though.

"That was unexpected," she said under her breath, as she looked up at him and their eyes locked again. Their bodies were flush against one another. She could feel the muscles under her fingers and feel the hardness of his chest against her. The way he was holding her close with one hand on her lower back, and tight against him, also let her know what else he was feeling.

"What was unexpected?" Callen asked.

She shook her head at his words and broke their eye contact. She wasn't going to admit the real answer - that the sparks were still flying from when she had fallen against him, definitely not static, so she went back for another attempt at Step two.

Doing her best to hide how she really felt, she looked back at him and grinned as she moved her hips slightly against him.

Callen raised his eyebrows and one side of his mouth tilted in a lopsided grin that she found incredibly attractive. Odd since she didn't usually have a thing for smiles. "You didn't expect a reaction? You're a very sexy woman, why wouldn't I react to you being this close?" he asked.

"From any other guy yeah. But from you... unexpected."

"From me?" Callen frowned.

Wrong thing to say, Kensi Blye. How are you going to get out of this one now?

Step Three – Confuse the target to give me some time to figure it out.

She put on a puzzled expression.

"Does expecting the unexpected, make the unexpected expected?" she asked and tilted her head a little with a considering look on her face. Good, he was confused. "Should I have expected that because I was expecting the unexpected?" she continued, still not managing to get a plan in place in her mind yet. He wasn't the only one distracted. She really wished he'd let her go. "And does that mean that I should have expected you because I wasn't expecting anything and -"

Callen kissed her soundly, and the rest of the words stalled in her throat and her mind. Why didn't Hetty warn me? A vague thought went through her mind that Hetty probably didn't really know just how good he was with his mouth in this way. At least not personally. The thought drifted away as her mind went blank and she found herself kissing him back; her arms wrapped around his neck.

When Callen eventually pulled back from the kiss, it took her a moment to recover. She felt like everything was in slow motion as she looked at him and blinked slowly. She saw the smile in his eyes and pulled herself together. Not good. So not good. Especially since it was entirely possible work would throw them into a situation like this. She was going to have serious trouble focusing on the job if he kissed like this in the field.

She shook her head to help her focus. "What?" she asked.

"You were rambling. Had to stop you."

She stepped away slightly from him and handed him the almost empty bottle. Time for a tactical retreat. Regroup and think about how you are going to deal with this on Monday.

"I need to go," she said and started to turn away.

"Not going to give me your number?" he asked.

She stopped her retreat.

Step Four – Shock Therapy.

She turned back and smiled. She saw the guarded expression that flickered briefly on his face and knew he'd seen the wicked sparkle to her eyes. She stepped close to him again, her mouth going close to his ear. She could feel the heat from his body and did everything she could to focus and what she needed to say and her strategic exit.

"Why? You already have it ... Agent Callen."

Then she turned away, though she did manage to catch a glimpse of the shock on his face, and walked quickly through the crowd, completely steady. She laughed silently to herself at what must be going through his mind, since she was sure he had thought she was completely drunk. Lucky for her she had a strong threshold for alcohol, as long as she stopped at the right point.

As she walked toward the door she glimpsed, just to her left in the shadows, a small familiar woman, Hetty, sitting there. She smiled and winked. Hetty winked back and raised her glass in a silent toast. She grinned. She'd known Hetty was going to be here tonight. After all, the girls had to stick together. There was only the two of them.

She walked outside into the fresh cool air. She stopped once the doors were closed and took a deep breath. Monday was going to be even better than she expected.

* * *

She put her hand on the door to the OSP office and paused. She took a deep breath, made sure she had a neutral expression on her face and double-checked that the attraction she felt for her new superior was thoroughly tucked away.

She'd spent most of the night after she'd left the club lying awake trying to work out what to do. Eventually she'd decided to classify it as a date. Sure, he hadn't asked her out, but they had danced, shared a drink and a kiss. Close enough. At least she was willing to call it close enough because that meant she could call it a date. And since she didn't do second dates, her theory was that by calling it a date, it should help her to focus on working with him without too many difficulties.

Hopefully it would also help her focus on continuing her plan to avoid the rookie taunts. She let out her breath, turned the handle and walked inside.

Callen wasn't there, he was late. Hetty had taken her up to the OPS centre and introduced her to Sam and Eric. She was awestruck by the technology in the room; it was nothing like she was used to. She also wasn't used to having a dedicated tech guy on her team. Definitely her dream job.

She saw Hetty pick up the phone and wondered why until Hetty spoke.

"Upstairs if you please, Mr Callen. You are late."

She narrowly avoided grinning when Hetty's glance slid over to her. Time for some fun.

Callen walked in through the door and, although her heart rate sped up, she managed to control it enough that none of the observant agents in the room should notice.

Callen glanced at Hetty first. "Sorry Hetty," he said

Hetty nodded her head and Kensi noticed the slight trace of a nervous frown flash over his face. Then he turned to look at them and she caught sight of those eyes again. She should really consider trying to find another part of the anatomy to be drawn to.

_ Would it really make a difference with him? _

She really hated that little devilish voice in her mind. It had gotten her into trouble more times than she cared to think about, which was why she had come up with the one date rule. She wasn't up for a relationship and if she listened to that little voice too often she found herself with a guy who thought she could give him more than just a good time.

"Miss Blye. Mr Callen," Hetty said. "Though given that you have already met, I am just taking care of the official introduction."

Callen's eyes flew to Hetty, and she grinned at his shock.

"Yes Mr Callen, I know about the other night. And might I advise you to brush up on your surveillance skills. Perhaps Miss Blye could show you a few tricks."

"How... Never mind."

Step Five – Milk the situation for all it's worth. Coming right up and ongoing for just as long as she could make it last.

Hetty stepped back. "Now, I shall leave you all to get to know one another. In a professional capacity that is," Hetty added with a brief glance at Callen before she left the room.

"G?" Sam asked curious.

"Nothing Sam. Just … doesn't matter."

Sam raised his eyebrows and looked at her.

"Kensi?"

She grinned. "We've meet."

Step Six – Get the others on your side. Hetty – Check. Sam - On the way. Eric – Check. It hadn't been that hard since she'd drooled over his computer equipment. It hadn't been intentional, but it paid off in having Eric like her already.

"Gathered that. When?" Sam asked her.

"Saturday night."

She smirked at the look on Callen's face and the shake of his head. Surely he didn't expect her to be all coy and shy about it. He had to have read her file and know what kind of agent she was. And after the other night, he really should’ve known better just from that.

"You mean when you were supposed to be watching her?" Sam asked.

Callen rolled his eyes at his partner. "I was watching."

She giggled. "Closely."

Callen shook his head again and smiled. "Shall we show you to your desk?"

She started to walk toward him. "Sure, but don't think this over. I'm going to get so much mileage out of that night."

Callen stepped up beside her and slid his arm around her shoulders. She still felt the heat and the sparks. Just remember, already had the first date and you don't do number two. She looked over at him as they walked.

"You know I was just playing along. Couldn't let you know who I was," he said.

She grinned. "Playing along?" Yeah right. "They did say you were good, but I didn't think they meant  _ that _ good." Her eyes drifted down his body briefly before returning to his face and from the look in his eyes she knew exactly what she was referring to.

"So we're good?" he asked.

So he wasn't going to continue with that particular conversation. Pity, could definitely have been fun, especially with Sam listening in.

"Well, you did stare at my butt for two hours but," she shrugged, "you did make up for it by dancing with me. Guess we're good."

"He never dances with me," Sam complained in that fake whiny voice.

"You're not as pretty, Sam. You also can't move like she can."

Callen's arm slipped of her shoulders as they arrived at the top of the stairs and he let her go down first.

A few steps down she stopped and turned around.

"Oh and Callen… the rant. Interesting way to stop it. Though, next time, if you want that is," she paused and grinned, "just ask."

Callen looked stunned, but not a whole lot more than what she was at her own unexpected words. It wasn't so much the whole sentence, just those five little words – 'if you want that is.'

Five little words that, if she wasn't careful, would backfire on her completely one day. The only thing more shocking to her than the words themselves, was that she was kind of hoping that they would.

She turned and headed down the stairs to Hetty, her face slightly flushed.

"Miss Blye, is everything all right?" Hetty asked when she stopped beside Hetty's desk.

"Everything's fine, Hetty."

"The gentlemen are behaving themselves…. This time?"

"For now, Hetty. Don't worry. I'll give as good as I get."

"Of course you will, my dear. You wouldn't be here if I didn't think you would match up well with them."

Kensi smiled. "I think we'll match up perfectly." She was already getting along with them all and having fun. Definitely a good start.

When Hetty raised her eyebrows she blushed at the thoughts the look evoked. "Not what I was meaning Hetty." Just how much does this little woman see? Especially from the shadows.

One date only. She'd just have to remember that. She wasn't interested.

Working with him though was a different story. Now that was going to be very interesting.

_ The end. _


End file.
